Storage medium storing load detecting program and load detecting apparatus

ABSTRACT

A load detecting apparatus includes a load controller, and judges a motion of a player on the basis of detected load values. Judgment timing for a motion of putting the feet on and down from the controller is decided on the basis of an elapsed time from an instruction of a motion. In a case that a step-up-and-down exercise is performed, a judgment timing of a motion for bringing about a state both of the feet are put down on a ground at a fourth step is decided on the basis of a judgment timing of a motion of putting a third step down.

CROSS REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATION

The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-261798 isincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a storage medium storing a load detectingprogram and a load detecting apparatus. More specifically, the presentinvention relates to a storage medium storing a load detecting programand a load detecting apparatus which perform processing by detectingload values imposed on a support plate on which a foot of a player isput.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, a load detecting apparatus equipped with a sensor fordetecting a load of a subject is known in a field of medical equipmentfor purpose of exercises such as rehabilitation.

For example, in a Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open No. 62-34016 [G01G 19/00, A61B 5/10, A61H 1/00, G01G 23/37]),a variable load display apparatus provided with two load sensors isdisclosed. In this apparatus, right and left feet are put on therespective load sensors one by one. From the display of load valuesdetected by the two load sensors, a balance between the right and leftfeet is measured.

Furthermore, in a Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-open No. 7-275307 [A61H 1/02, A61B 5/11, A63B 23/04]), a center ofgravity shift training apparatus with three load detecting means isdisclosed. In this apparatus, both feet are put on a detection plateprovided with the three load detecting means. By an arithmetic operationof signals detected from the three load detecting means, a position ofthe center of gravity is calculated and displayed, and whereby, trainingfor shifting the center of gravity is performed.

However, in the above-described Patent Documents 1 and 2, althoughchanges of the load in a state that the foot of the subject is put onthe detection plate provided with the load detecting means (the balancebetween right and left and shift of the center of gravity) can bemeasured, there is a problem in that it is difficult to accuratelydetermine a motion of putting the foot on and down from the detectionplate like a step-up-and-down exercise. For example, consider now that asubject, putting one foot on the detection plate, is made to make amotion of putting the foot down from the detection plate to the groundaccording to an instruction of the screen. At this time, the change ofthe load put on the plate at a time when the subject puts the foot offfrom the detection plate is measured, the load value becomesapproximately 0. However, at this step, since the subject merely putsthe foot off from the detection plate, and has not finished the motionof putting the foot on the ground, if the motion is determined here, atime lag occurs between the timing when the motion is actually performedand the timing when the determination of the motion is performed in theapparatus. Thus, this makes it impossible to accurately determine themotion of the subject, and this gives the subject a strong uncomfortablefeeling and an unnatural impression. Since the above-described PatentDocuments 1 and 2 only disclose the measurement of the changes of theload with both of the feet are put on the plate, it is impossible todetect timing when the foot is put on the ground, so that such problemscannot be solved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide anovel storage medium storing a load detecting program and a loaddetecting apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a storage mediumstoring a load detecting program and a load detecting apparatus capableof accurately determining timing of a motion such as putting a foot onand down from the stepping board by a player.

The present invention employs following features in order to solve theabove-described problems. It should be noted that reference numeralsinside the parentheses and the supplements show one example of acorresponding relationship with the embodiments described later for easyunderstanding of the present invention, and do not limit the presentinvention.

A first invention is a storage medium storing a load detecting programto be executed by a computer of a load detecting apparatus having asupport board allowing a player to put the feet on. The load detectingprogram causes the computer to execute a load value detecting step, amotion instructing step, an elapsed time counting step, a judgmenttiming deciding step, and a first motion determining step. The loadvalue detecting step detects a load value put on the support board. Themotion instructing step instructs the player to perform a first motion.The elapsed time counting step counts an elapsed time from when themotion instructing step gives an instruction of the first motion. Thejudgment timing deciding step decides whether or not a first motionjudgment timing has come on the basis of the elapsed time. The firstmotion determining step determines whether or not the first motion isperformed on the basis of the load value detected by the load valuedetecting step when the judgment timing deciding step decides thejudgment timing has come.

In the first invention, the load detecting program is executed in acomputer (40, 42) of a load detecting apparatus (10, 12), and causes theload detecting apparatus to function as an apparatus for determining amotion of a player (user) on the basis of the detected load values, forexample. The load detecting apparatus has a support board (36) forallowing the player to put the feet on, and the support board has a loadsensor (36 b), for example. A load value detecting step (S35, S75, S115,S163) detects a load value put on the support board. A load valuedepending on the motion by the player with respect to the support boardis detected. A motion instructing step (S151) instructs the player toperform a first motion. For example, the instruction of the motion maybe performed by displaying panels (400) representing the motion on ascreen, and suitable timing may be shown by the timing of the movementor stop of the panels. An elapsed time counting step (S153, S155) countsan elapsed time (T4) from an instruction of the first motion is given. Ajudgment timing deciding step (S159, S161) decides whether or not thefirst motion judgment timing has come on the basis of the elapsed time.It is decided whether or not a suitable time for determining theexecution of the first motion elapses from the instruction. A firstmotion determining step (S165) determines whether or not the firstmotion is performed on the basis of the detected load value when it isdecided that the judgment timing has come.

According to the first invention, since the judgment timing is decidedby the elapsed time from the start of the instruction of the motion, itis possible to determine the execution of the motion by properlydeciding the judgment timing of the motion by the player.

A second invention is a storage medium storing a load detecting programaccording to the first invention, and the load detecting program causesthe computer to further execute a load determining step for determiningwhether or not the load value detected by the load value detecting stepbecomes a predetermined state. The motion instructing step instructs theplayer to perform a second motion, the elapsed time counting step countsan elapsed time from when the instruction of the second motion is given,the judgment timing deciding step decides that the first motion judgmenttiming has come when the elapsed time from the instruction of the firstmotion reaches the elapsed time from when the instruction of the secondmotion is given to when the load determining step determines that theload value becomes the predetermined state.

In the second invention, a motion instructing step (S31, S71, S111)gives an instruction of a second motion, and an elapsed time countingstep (S33, S49, S73, S89, S113, S129) counts an elapsed time from whenthe instruction of the second motion is given. A load determining step(S37, S41, S77, S81, S117, S121) determines whether or not the detectedload value becomes a predetermined state. The predetermined state is astate that a condition for determining that the second motion isexecuted is satisfied, for example. That is, a judgment condition of aratio of a load value to a body weight value, and a judgment conditionin relation to a position of the center of gravity are decided inadvance, and judgment of the condition is performed on the basis of thedetected load value. The judgment timing deciding step decides that thefirst motion judgment timing has come when the elapsed time (T4) fromthe instruction of the first motion reaches the elapsed time (T3) fromwhen the instruction of the second motion is given to when the loaddetermining step determines that the load value becomes thepredetermined state. The judgment timing of the first motion can bedecided on the basis of the second motion judgment timing, so that it ispossible to make a suitable judgment with simple processing.

A third invention is a storage medium storing a load detecting programaccording to the second invention, and the judgment timing deciding stepdecides that the first motion judgment timing has come in a case thatthe load determining step does not determines that the load valuebecomes the predetermined state from the instruction of the secondmotion, when the elapsed time from the instruction of the first motionbecomes a predetermined time.

In the third invention, in the judgment timing deciding step, in a casethat the load determining step does not determine that the load valuebecomes the predetermined state from the instruction of the secondmotion, that is, it is not determined that the second motion isperformed by the player, when the elapsed time (T4) from the instructionof the first motion becomes a predetermined time (PS), it is decidedthat the first motion judgment timing has come. For example, thepredetermined time is set to a value suitable for performing the firstmotion. Even if determination of the second motion is not performed, itis possible to decide the first motion judgment timing on the basis ofthe suitable timing set in advance.

A fourth invention is a storage medium storing a load detecting programaccording to the second invention, and the first motion is a motion,from a state that one foot of the player is put on the support board andthe other foot is put on a ground, of putting the one foot down from thesupport board, and the second motion is a motion of putting only onefoot down from the support board from a state that the player rides onthe support board.

In the fourth invention, it is possible to properly decide judgmenttiming of a motion such as a step-up-and-down exercise.

A fifth invention is a storage medium storing a load detecting programaccording to the first invention, and the load detecting program causesthe computer to further execute a notifying step for notifying theplayer that the first motion is performed when the first motiondetermining step determines that the first motion is performed.

In the fifth invention, the notifying step (S171) notifies the playerthat the first motion is performed by a sound output, an image display,etc. It is possible to easily inform the player whether or not theinstructed motion is executed.

A sixth invention is a load detecting apparatus having a support boardallowing a player to put the feet on, and comprises a load valuedetecting means, a motion instructing means, an elapsed time countingstep, a judgment timing deciding means, and a first motion determiningmeans. The load value detecting means detects a load value put on thesupport board. The motion instructing means instructs the player toperform a first motion. The elapsed time counting means counts anelapsed time from when the motion instructing means gives an instructionof the first motion. The judgment timing deciding means decides whetheror not the first motion judgment timing has come on the basis of theelapsed time. The first motion determining means determines whether ornot the first motion is performed on the basis of the load valuedetected by the load value detecting means when the judgment timingdeciding means decides the judgment timing has come.

The sixth invention is a load detecting apparatus to which the storagemedium storing a load detecting program according to the first inventionis applied, and has an advantage similar to the first invention.

According to the present invention, since an elapsed time from when aninstruction of a motion is performed is counted, and whether thejudgment timing of the motion or not is decided on the basis of theelapsed time, it is possible to properly decide the judgment timing asto whether or not the player performs a motion of putting the feet onand down from the plate. Thus, it is possible to accurately determinewhether or not the motion is performed.

The above described objects and other objects, features, aspects andadvantages of the present invention will become more apparent from thefollowing detailed description of the present invention when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustrative view showing a game system of one embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing one example of an electricconfiguration of the game system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an illustrative view showing an appearance of a controllershown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing one example of an electricconfiguration of the controller shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a load controller shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an illustrative view showing a cross section of the loadcontroller shown in FIG. 5 taken along the line VI-VI;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing one example of an electricconfiguration of the load controller shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an illustrative view roughly explaining a state when a game isplayed by using the controller and the load controller;

FIG. 9 is an illustrative view showing viewing angles of markers and thecontroller shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is an illustrative view showing one example of an imaged imageincluding target images;

FIG. 11 is an illustrative view showing one example of respectivemotions of a step-up-and-down exercise;

FIG. 12 is an illustrative view showing one example of a game screen;

FIG. 13 is an illustrative view for explaining a moving manner ofinstruction panels and judgment of a motion;

FIG. 14 is an illustrative view explaining a judgment timing of a motionat a fourth step of a step-up-and-down exercise;

FIG. 15 is an illustrative view showing a memory map of a gameapparatus;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing one example of an operation of the gameapparatus;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing one example of an operation of first stepprocessing shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing one example of an operation of secondstep processing shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing one example of an operation of third stepprocessing shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing one example of an operation of fourthstep processing shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 21 is a flowchart showing a part of an operation of the fourth stepprocessing in another embodiment;

FIG. 22 is an illustrative view showing motions at the second and thirdsteps when lifting a left thigh is included at the second step of thestep-up-and-down exercise shown in FIG. 11; and

FIG. 23 is an illustrative view showing one example of panels in a caseof the motion shown in FIG. 22.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a game system 10 of one embodiment of the presentinvention includes a video game apparatus hereinafter, simply referredto as “game apparatus”) 12, a controller 22 and a load controller 36. Inthis embodiment, the game apparatus 12 and the load controller 36function as a load detecting apparatus. Although illustration isomitted, the game apparatus 12 of this embodiment is designed such thatit can be connected to four controllers (22, 36) at the maximum.Furthermore, the game apparatus 12 and the respective controllers (22,36) are connected by radio. The wireless communication is executedaccording to a Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard, for example,but may be executed by other standards such as infrared rays, a wirelessLAN.

The game apparatus 12 includes a roughly rectangular parallelepipedhousing 14, and the housing 14 is furnished with a disk slot 16 on afront surface. An optical disk 18 as one example of an informationstorage medium storing game program, etc. is inserted from the disk slot16 to be loaded into a disk drive 54 (see FIG. 2) within the housing 14.Around the disk slot 16, an LED and a light guide plate are arranged soas to be light on or off in accordance with various processing.

Furthermore, on a front surface of the housing 14 of the game apparatus12, a power button 20 a and a reset button 20 b are provided at theupper part thereof, and an eject button 20 c is provided below them. Inaddition, a connector cover for external memory card 28 is providedbetween the reset button 20 b and the eject button 20 c, and in thevicinity of the disk slot 16. Inside the connector cover for externalmemory card 28, an connector for external memory card 62 (see FIG. 2) isprovided, through which an external memory card (hereinafter simplyreferred to as a “memory card”) not shown is inserted. The memory cardis employed for loading the game program, etc. read from the opticaldisk 18 to temporarily store it, storing (saving) game data (result dataor proceeding data of the game) of the game played by means of the gamesystem 10, and so forth. It should be noted that storing the game datadescribed above may be performed on an internal memory, such as a flashmemory 44 (see FIG. 2) inside the game apparatus 12 in place of thememory card. Also, the memory card may be utilized as a backup memory ofthe internal memory.

It should be noted that a general-purpose SD card can be employed as amemory card, but other general-purpose memory cards, such asMemoryStick, Multimedia Card (registered trademark) can be employed.

The game apparatus 12 has an AV cable connector 58 (see FIG. 2) on therear surface of the housing 14, and by utilizing the AV cable connector58, a monitor 34 and a speaker 34 a are connected to the game apparatus12 through an AV cable 32 a. The monitor 34 and the speaker 34 a aretypically a color television receiver, and through the AV cable 32 a, avideo signal from the game apparatus 12 is input to a video inputterminal of the color television, and a sound signal from the gameapparatus 12 is input to a sound input terminal. Accordingly, a gameimage of a three-dimensional (3D) video game, for example, is displayedon the screen of the color television (monitor) 34, and stereo gamesound, such as a game music, a sound effect, etc. is output from rightand left speakers 34 a. Around the monitor 34 (on the top side of themonitor 34, in this embodiment), a marker unit 34 b including twoinfrared ray LEDs (markers) 340 m and 340 n is provided. The marker unit34 b is connected to the game apparatus 12 through a power source cable32 b. Accordingly, the marker unit 34 b is supplied with power from thegame apparatus 12. Thus, the markers 340 m and 340 n emit lights infront of the monitor 34.

Furthermore, the power of the game apparatus 12 is applied by means of ageneral AC adapter (not illustrated). The AC adapter is inserted into astandard wall socket for home use, and the game apparatus 12 transformsthe house current (commercial power supply) to a low DC voltage signalsuitable for driving. In another embodiment, a battery may be utilizedas a power supply.

In the game system 10, a user or a player turns the power of the gameapparatus 12 on for playing the game (or applications other than thegame). Then, the user selects an appropriate optical disk 18 storing aprogram of a video game (or other applications the player wants toplay), and loads the optical disk 18 into the disk drive 54 of the gameapparatus 12. In response thereto, the game apparatus 12 starts toexecute a video game or other applications on the basis of the programrecorded in the optical disk 18. The user operates the controller 22 inorder to apply an input to the game apparatus 12. For example, byoperating any one of the operating buttons of the input means 26, a gameor other application is started. Besides the operation on the inputmeans 26, by moving the controller 22 itself, it is possible to move amoving image object (player object) in different directions or changethe perspective of the user (camera position) in a 3-dimensional gameworld.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electric configuration of the videogame system 10 shown in FIG. 1 embodiment. Although illustration isomitted, respective components within the housing 14 are mounted on aprinted board. As shown in FIG. 2, the game apparatus 12 has a CPU 40.The CPU 40 functions as a game processor. The CPU 40 is connected with asystem LSI 42. The system LSI 42 is connected with an external mainmemory 46, a ROM/RTC 48, a disk drive 54, and an AV IC 56.

The external main memory 46 is utilized as a work area and a buffer areaof the CPU 40 by storing programs like a game program, etc. and variousdata. The ROM/RTC 48, which is a so-called boot ROM, is incorporatedwith a program for activating the game apparatus 12, and is providedwith a time circuit for counting a time. The disk drive 54 reads programdata, texture data, etc. from the optical disk 18, and writes them in aninternal main memory 42 e described later or the external main memory 46under the control of the CPU 40.

The system LSI 42 is provided with an input-output processor 42 a, a GPU(Graphics Processor Unit) 42 b, a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) 42 c, aVRAM 42 d and an internal main memory 42 e, and these are connected withone another by internal buses although illustration is omitted.

The input-output processor (I/O processor) 42 a executes transmittingand receiving data and executes downloading of the data. Reception andtransmission and download of the data are explained in detail later.

The GPU 42 b is made up of a part of a drawing means, and receives agraphics command (construction command) from the CPU 40 to generate gameimage data according to the command. Additionally, the CPU 40 applies animage generating program required for generating game image data to theGPU 42 b in addition to the graphics command.

Although illustration is omitted, the GPU 42 b is connected with theVRAM 42 d as described above. The GPU 42 b accesses the VRAM 42 d toacquire data (image data: data such as polygon data, texture data, etc.)required to execute the construction instruction. Additionally, the CPU40 writes image data required for drawing to the VRAM 42 d via the GPU42 b. The GPU 42 b accesses the VRAM 42 d to create game image data fordrawing.

In this embodiment, a case that the GPU 42 b generates game image datais explained, but in a case of executing an arbitrary application exceptfor the game application, the GPU 42 b generates image data as to thearbitrary application.

Furthermore, the DSP 42 c functions as an audio processor, and generatesaudio data corresponding to a sound, a voice, music, or the like to beoutput from the speaker 34 a by means of the sound data and the soundwave (tone) data stored in the internal main memory 42 e and theexternal main memory 46.

The game image data and audio data generated as described above are readby the AV IC 56, and output to the monitor 34 and the speaker 34 a viathe AV connector 58. Accordingly, a game screen is displayed on themonitor 34, and a sound (music) necessary for the game is output fromthe speaker 34 a.

Furthermore, the input-output processor 42 a is connected with a flashmemory 44, a wireless communication module 50 and a wireless controllermodule 52, and is also connected with an expansion connector 60 and aconnector for external memory card 62. The wireless communication module50 is connected with an antenna 50 a, and the wireless controller module52 is connected with an antenna 52 a.

The input-output processor 42 a can communicate with other gameapparatuses and various servers to be connected to a network via awireless communication module 50. It should be noted that it is possibleto directly communicate with another game apparatus without goingthrough the network. The input-output processor 42 a periodicallyaccesses the flash memory 44 to detect the presence or absence of data(referred to as data to be transmitted) being required to be transmittedto a network, and transmits it to the network via the wirelesscommunication module 50 and the antenna 50 a in a case that data to betransmitted is present. Furthermore, the input-output processor 42 areceives data (referred to as received data) transmitted from anothergame apparatuses via the network, the antenna 50 a and the wirelesscommunication module 50, and stores the received data in the flashmemory 44. If the received data does not satisfy a predeterminedcondition, the reception data is abandoned as it is. In addition, theinput-output processor 42 a can receive data (download data) downloadedfrom the download server via the network, the antenna 50 a and thewireless communication module 50, and store the download data in theflash memory 44.

Furthermore, the input-output processor 42 a receives input datatransmitted from the controller 22 and the load controller 36 via theantenna 52 a and the wireless controller module 52, and (temporarily)stores it in the buffer area of the internal main memory 42 e or theexternal main memory 46. The input data is erased from the buffer areaafter being utilized in game processing by the CPU 40.

In this embodiment, as described above, the wireless controller module52 makes communications with the controller 22 and the load controller36 in accordance with Bluetooth standards.

Furthermore, for the sake of the drawings, FIG. 2 collectively shows thecontroller 22 and the load controller 36.

In addition, the input-output processor 42 a is connected with theexpansion connector 60 and the connector for external memory card 62.The expansion connector 60 is a connector for interfaces, such as USB,SCSI, etc., and can be connected with medium such as an externalstorage, and peripheral devices such as another controller. Furthermore,the expansion connector 60 is connected with a cable LAN adaptor, andcan utilize the cable LAN in place of the wireless communication module50. The connector for external memory card 62 can be connected with anexternal storage like a memory card. Thus, the input-output processor 42a, for example, accesses the external storage via the expansionconnector 60 and the connector for external memory card 62 to store andread the data.

Although a detailed description is omitted, as shown in FIG. 1, the gameapparatus 12 (housing 14) is furnished with the power button 20 a, thereset button 20 b, and the eject button 20 c. The power button 20 a isconnected to the system LSI 42. When the power button 20 a is turned on,the system LSI 42 sets a mode of a normal energized state (referred toas “normal mode”) in which the respective components of the gameapparatus 12 are supplied with power through an AC adapter not shown. Onthe other hand, when the power button 20 a is turned off, the system LSI42 sets a mode in which a part of the components of the game apparatus12 is supplied with power, and the power consumption is reduced tominimum (hereinafter referred to as “standby mode”). In this embodiment,in a case that the standby mode is set, the system LSI 42 issues aninstruction to stop supplying the power to the components except for theinput-output processor 42 a, the flash memory 44, the external mainmemory 46, the ROM/RTC 48 and the wireless communication module 50, andthe wireless controller module 52. Accordingly, the standby mode is amode in which the CPU 40 never executes an application.

Although the system LSI 42 is supplied with power even in the standbymode, supply of clocks to the GPU 42 b, the DSP 42 c and the VRAM 42 dare stopped so as not to be driven, realizing reduction in powerconsumption.

Although illustration is omitted, inside the housing 14 of the gameapparatus 12, a fan is provided for excluding heat of the IC, such asthe CPU 40, the system LSI 42, etc. to outside. In the standby mode, thefan is also stopped.

However, in a case that the standby mode is not desired to be utilized,when the power button 20 a is turned off, by making the standby modeunusable, the power supply to all the circuit components are completelystopped.

Furthermore, switching between the normal mode and the standby mode canbe performed by turning on and off the power switch 26 h (see FIG. 3) ofthe controller 22 by remote control. If the remote control is notperformed, setting is made such that the power supply to the wirelesscontroller module 52 is not performed in the standby mode.

The reset button 20 b is also connected with the system LSI 42. When thereset button 20 b is pushed, the system LSI 42 restarts the activationprogram of the game apparatus 12. The eject button 20 c is connected tothe disk drive 54. When the eject button 20 c is pushed, the opticaldisk 18 is removed from the disk drive 54.

Each of FIG. 3 (A) to FIG. 3 (E) shows one example of an externalappearance of the controller 22. FIG. 3 (A) shows a front end surface ofthe controller 22, FIG. 3 (B) shows a top surface of the controller 22,FIG. 3 (C) shows a right side surface of the controller 22, FIG. 3 (D)shows a lower surface of the controller 22, and FIG. 3 (E) shows a backend surface of the controller 22.

Referring to FIG. 3 (A) and FIG. 3 (E), the controller 22 has a housing22 a formed by plastic molding, for example. The housing 22 a is formedinto an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape and has a sizesmall enough to be held by one hand of a user. The housing 22 a(controller 22) is provided with the input means (a plurality of buttonsor switches) 26. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3 (B), on an upper faceof the housing 22 a, there are provided a cross key 26 a, a 1 button 26b, a 2 button 26 c, an A button 26 d, a −button 26 e, a HOME button 26f, a +button 26 g and a power switch 26 h. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 3(C) and FIG. 3 (D), an inclined surface is formed on a lower surface ofthe housing 22 a, and a B-trigger switch 26 i is formed on the inclinedsurface.

The cross key 26 a is a four directional push switch, including fourdirections of front (or upper), back (or lower), right and leftoperation parts. By operating any one of the operation parts, it ispossible to instruct a moving direction of a character or object (playercharacter or player object) that is be operable by a player or instructthe moving direction of a cursor.

The 1 button 26 b and the 2 button 26 c are respectively push buttonswitches, and are used for adjusting a viewpoint position and aviewpoint direction on displaying the 3D game image, i.e. a position andan image angle of a virtual camera. Alternatively, the 1 button 26 b andthe 2 button 26 c can be used for the same operation as that of theA-button 26 d and the B-trigger switch 26 i or an auxiliary operation.

The A-button switch 26 d is the push button switch, and is used forcausing the player character or the player object to take an actionother than that instructed by a directional instruction, specificallyarbitrary actions such as hitting (punching), throwing, grasping(acquiring), riding, and jumping, etc. For example, in an action game,it is possible to give an instruction to jump, punch, move a weapon, andso forth. Also, in a roll playing game (RPG) and a simulation RPG, it ispossible to instruct to acquire an item, select and determine the weaponand command, and so forth.

The −button 26 e, the HOME button 26 f, the +button 26 g, and the powersupply switch 26 h are also push button switches. The −button 26 e isused for selecting a game mode. The HOME button 26 f is used fordisplaying a game menu (menu screen). The +button 26 g is used forstarting (re-starting) or pausing the game. The power supply switch 26 his used for turning on/off a power supply of the game apparatus 12 byremote control.

In this embodiment, note that the power supply switch for turning on/offthe controller 22 itself is not provided, and the controller 22 is setat on-state by operating any one of the switches or buttons of the inputmeans 26 of the controller 22, and when not operated for a certainperiod of time (30 seconds, for example) or more, the controller 22 isautomatically set at off-state.

The B-trigger switch 26 i is also the push button switch, and is mainlyused for inputting a trigger such as shooting and designating a positionselected by the controller 22. In a case that the B-trigger switch 26 iis continued to be pushed, it is possible to make movements andparameters of the player object constant. In a fixed case, the B-triggerswitch 26 i functions in the same way as a normal B-button, and is usedfor canceling the action determined by the A-button 26 d.

As shown in FIG. 3 (E), an external expansion connector 22 b is providedon a back end surface of the housing 22 a, and as shown in FIG. 3 (B),an indicator 22 c is provided on the top surface and the side of theback end surface of the housing 22 a. The external expansion connector22 b is utilized for connecting another expansion controller not shown.The indicator 22 c is made up of four LEDs, for example, and showsidentification information (controller number) of the controller 22corresponding to the lighting LED by lighting any one of the four LEDs,and shows the remaining amount of power of the controller 22 dependingon the number of LEDs to be emitted.

In addition, the controller 22 has an imaged information arithmeticsection 80 (see FIG. 4), and as shown in FIG. 3 (A), on the front endsurface of the housing 22 a, light incident opening 22 d of the imagedinformation arithmetic section 80 is provided. Furthermore, thecontroller 22 has a speaker 86 (see FIG. 4), and the speaker 86 isprovided inside the housing 22 a at the position corresponding to asound release hole 22 e between the 1 button 26 b and the HOME button 26f on the tope surface of the housing 22 a as shown in FIG. 3 (B).

Note that, the shape of the controller 22 and the shape, number andsetting position of each input means 26 shown in FIG. 3 (A) to FIG. 3(E) are simply examples, and needless to say, even if they are suitablymodified, the present invention can be realized.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electric configuration of thecontroller 22. Referring to FIG. 4, the controller 22 includes aprocessor 70, and the processor 70 is connected with the externalexpansion connector 22 b, the input means 26, a memory 72, anacceleration sensor 74, a radio module 76, the imaged informationarithmetic section 80, an LED 82 (the indicator 22 c), an vibrator 84, aspeaker 86, and a power supply circuit 88 by an internal bus (notshown). Moreover, an antenna 78 is connected to the radio module 76.

The processor 70 is in charge of an overall control of the controller22, and transmits (inputs) information (input information) inputted bythe input means 26, the acceleration sensor 74, and the imagedinformation arithmetic section 80 as input data, to the game apparatus12 via the radio module 76 and the antenna 78. At this time, theprocessor 70 uses the memory 72 as a working area or a buffer area.

An operation signal (operation data) from the aforementioned input means26 (26 a to 26 i) is inputted to the processor 70, and the processor 70stores the operation data once in the memory 72.

Moreover, the acceleration sensor 74 detects each acceleration of thecontroller 22 in directions of three axes of vertical direction (y-axialdirection), lateral direction (x-axial direction), and forward andrearward directions (z-axial direction). The acceleration sensor 74 istypically an acceleration sensor of an electrostatic capacity type, butthe acceleration sensor of other type may also be used.

For example, the acceleration sensor 74 detects the accelerations (ax,ay, and az) in each direction of x-axis, y-axis, z-axis for each firstpredetermined time, and inputs the data of the acceleration(acceleration data) thus detected in the processor 70. For example, theacceleration sensor 74 detects the acceleration in each direction of theaxes in a range from −2.0 g to 2.0 g (g indicates a gravitationalacceleration. The same thing can be said hereafter.) The processor 70detects the acceleration data given from the acceleration sensor 74 foreach second predetermined time, and stores it in the memory 72 once. Theprocessor 70 creates input data including at least one of the operationdata, acceleration data and marker coordinate data as described later,and transmits the input data thus created to the game apparatus 12 foreach third predetermined time (5 msec, for example).

In this embodiment, although omitted in FIG. 3 (A) to FIG. 3 (E), theacceleration sensor 74 is provided inside the housing 22 a and in thevicinity on the circuit board where the cross key 26 a is arranged.

The radio module 76 modulates a carrier of a predetermined frequency bythe input data, by using a technique of Bluetooth, for example, andemits its weak radio wave signal from the antenna 78. Namely, the inputdata is modulated to the weak radio wave signal by the radio module 76and transmitted from the antenna 78 (controller 22). The weak radio wavesignal is received by the radio controller module 52 provided to theaforementioned game apparatus 12. The weak radio wave thus received issubjected to demodulating and decoding processing. This makes itpossible for the game apparatus 12 (CPU 40) to acquire the input datafrom the controller 22. Then, the CPU 40 performs game processing,following the input data and the program (game program).

In addition, as described above, the controller 22 is provided with theimaged information arithmetic section 80. The imaged informationarithmetic section 80 is made up of an infrared rays filter 80 a, a lens80 b, an imager 80 c, and an image processing circuit 80 d. The infraredrays filter 80 a passes only infrared rays from the light incident fromthe front of the controller 22. As described above, the markers 340 mand 340 n placed near (around) the display screen of the monitor 34 areinfrared LEDs for outputting infrared lights forward the monitor 34.Accordingly, by providing the infrared rays filter 80 a, it is possibleto image the image of the markers 340 m and 340 n more accurately. Thelens 80 b condenses the infrared rays passing thorough the infrared raysfilter 80 a to emit them to the imager 80 c. The imager 80 c is a solidimager, such as a CMOS sensor and a CCD, for example, and images theinfrared rays condensed by the lens 80 b. Accordingly, the imager 80 cimages only the infrared rays passing through the infrared rays filter80 a to generate image data. Hereafter, the image imaged by the imager80 c is called an “imaged image”. The image data generated by the imager80 c is processed by the image processing circuit 80 d. The imageprocessing circuit 80 d calculates a position of an object to be imaged(markers 340 m and 340 n) within the imaged image, and outputs eachcoordinate value indicative of the position to the processor 70 asimaged data for each fourth predetermined time. It should be noted thata description of the process in the image processing circuit 80 d ismade later.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the loadcontroller 36 shown in FIG. 1. The load controller 36 includes a board36 a on which a player rides (a player puts his or her foot) and atleast four load sensors 36 b that detect loads applied on the board 36a. The load sensors 36 b are accommodated in the board 36 a (see FIG.7), and the arrangement of the load sensors 36 b is shown by dotted linein FIG. 5.

The board 36 a is formed in a substantially rectangle, and the board 36a has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from above. Forexample, a short side of the rectangular is set in the order of about 30cm, and a long side thereof is set in the order of 50 cm. An uppersurface of the board 36 a on which the player rides is formed in flat.Side faces at four corners of the board 36 a are formed so as to bepartially projected in a cylindrical shape.

In the board 36 a, the four load sensors 36 b are arranged atpredetermined intervals. In the embodiment, the four load sensors 36 bare arranged in peripheral portions of the board 36 a, specifically, atthe four corners. The interval between the load sensors 36 b is set anappropriate value such that player's intention can accurately bedetected for the load applied to the board 36 a in a game manipulation.

FIG. 6 shows a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of the loadcontroller 36 shown in FIG. 5, and also shows an enlarged corner portiondisposed in the load sensor 36 b. As can be seen from FIG. 6, the board36 a includes a support plate 360 on which the player rides and legs362. The legs 362 are provided at positions where the load sensors 36 bare arranged. In the embodiment, because the four load sensors 36 b arearranged at four corners, the four legs 362 are provided at the fourcorners. The leg 362 is formed in a cylindrical shape with bottom by,e.g., plastic molding. The load sensor 36 b is placed on a sphericalpart 362 a provided in the bottom of the leg 362. The support plate 360is supported by the leg 362 while the load sensor 36 b is interposed.

The support plate 360 includes an upper-layer plate 360 a thatconstitutes an upper surface and an upper side face, a lower-layer plate360 b that constitutes a lower surface and a lower side face, and anintermediate-layer plate 360 c provided between the upper-layer plate360 a and the lower-layer plate 360 b. For example, the upper-layerplate 360 a and the lower-layer plate 360 b are formed by plasticmolding and integrated with each other by bonding. For example, theintermediate-layer plate 360 c is formed by pressing one metal plate.The intermediate-layer plate 360 c is fixed onto the four load sensors36 b. The upper-layer plate 360 a has a lattice-shaped rib (not shown)in a lower surface thereof, and the upper-layer plate 360 a is supportedby the intermediate-layer plate 360 c while the rib is interposed.Accordingly, when the player rides on the board 36 a, the load istransmitted to the support plate 360, the load sensor 36 b, and the leg362. As shown by an arrow in FIG. 6, reaction generated from a floor bythe input load is transmitted from the legs 362 to the upper-layer plate360 a through the spherical part 362 a, the load sensor 36 b, and theintermediate-layer plate 360 c.

The load sensor 36 b is formed by, e.g., a strain gage (strain sensor)type load cell, and the load sensor 36 b is a load transducer thatconverts the input load into an electric signal. In the load sensor 36b, a strain inducing element 370 a is deformed to generate a strainaccording to the input load. The strain is converted into a change inelectric resistance by a strain sensor 370 b adhering to the straininducing element 370 a, and the change in electric resistance isconverted into a change in voltage. Accordingly, the load sensor 36 boutputs a voltage signal indicating the input load from an outputterminal.

Other types of load sensors such as a folk vibrating type, a stringvibrating type, an electrostatic capacity type, a piezoelectric type, amagneto-striction type, and gyroscope type may be used as the loadsensor 36 b.

Returning to FIG. 5, the load controller 36 is further provided with apower button 36 c. When the power button 36 c is turned on, power issupplied to the respective circuit components (see FIG. 7) of the loadcontroller 36. It should be noted that the load controller 36 may beturned on in accordance with an instruction from the game apparatus 12.Furthermore, the power of the load controller 36 is turned off when astate that the player does not ride continues for a given time of period(30 seconds, for example). Alternatively, the power may be turned offwhen the power button 36 c is turned on in a state that the loadcontroller 36 is activated.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of an electricconfiguration of the load controller 36. In FIG. 7, the signal andcommunication stream are indicated by solid-line arrows, and electricpower supply is indicated by broken-line arrows.

The load controller 36 includes a microcomputer 100 that controls anoperation of the load controller 36. The microcomputer 100 includes aCPU, a ROM and a RAM (not shown), and the CPU controls the operation ofthe load controller 36 according to a program stored in the ROM.

The microcomputer 100 is connected with the power button 36 c, the A/Dconverter 102, a DC-DC converter 104 and a wireless module 106. Inaddition, the wireless module 106 is connected with an antenna 106 a.Furthermore, the four load sensors 36 b are displayed as a load cell 36b in FIG. 3. Each of the four load sensors 36 b is connected to the A/Dconverter 102 via an amplifier 108.

Furthermore, the load controller 36 is provided with a battery 110 forpower supply. In another embodiment, an AC adapter in place of thebattery is connected to supply a commercial power supply. In such acase, a power supply circuit has to be provided for convertingalternating current into direct current and stepping down and rectifyingthe direct voltage in place of the DC-DC converter. In this embodiment,the power supply to the microcomputer 100 and the wireless module 106are directly made from the battery. That is, power is constantlysupplied to a part of the component (CPU) inside the microcomputer 100and the wireless module 106 to thereby detect whether or not the powerbutton 36 c is turned on, and whether or not a power-on (load detection)command is transmitted from the game apparatus 12. On the other hand,power from the battery 110 is supplied to the load sensor 36 b, the A/Dconverter 102 and the amplifier 108 via the DC-DC converter 104. TheDC-DC converter 104 converts the voltage level of the direct currentfrom the battery 110 into a different voltage level, and applies it tothe load sensor 36 b, the A/D converter 102 and the amplifier 108.

The electric power may be supplied to the load sensor 36 b, the A/Dconverter 102, and the amplifier 108 if needed such that themicrocomputer 100 controls the DC-DC converter 104. That is, when themicrocomputer 100 determines that a need to operate the load sensor 36 bto detect the load arises, the microcomputer 100 may control the DC-DCconverter 104 to supply the electric power to each load sensor 36 b, theA/D converter 102, and each amplifier 108.

Once the electric power is supplied, each load sensor 36 b outputs asignal indicating the input load. The signal is amplified by eachamplifier 108, and the analog signal is converted into digital data bythe A/D converter 102. Then, the digital data is inputted to themicrocomputer 100. Identification information on each load sensor 36 bis imparted to the detection value of each load sensor 36 b, allowingfor distinction among the detection values of the load sensors 36 b.Thus, the microcomputer 100 can obtain the pieces of data indicating thedetection values of the four load sensors 36 b at the same time.

On the other hand, when the microcomputer 100 determines that the needto operate the load sensor 36 b does not arise, i.e., when themicrocomputer 100 determines it is not the time the load is detected,the microcomputer 100 controls the DC-DC converter 104 to stop thesupply of the electric power to the load sensor 36 b, the A/D converter102 and the amplifier 108. Thus, in the load controller 36, the loadsensor 36 b is operated to detect the load only when needed, so that thepower consumption for detecting the load can be suppressed.

Typically, the time the load detection is required shall means the timethe game apparatus 12 (FIG. 1) obtains the load data. For example, whenthe game apparatus 12 requires the load information, the game apparatus12 transmits a load obtaining command to the load controller 36. Whenthe microcomputer 100 receives the load obtaining command from the gameapparatus 12, the microcomputer 100 controls the DC-DC converter 104 tosupply the electric power to the load sensor 36 b, etc., therebydetecting the load. On the other hand, when the microcomputer 100 doesnot receive the load obtaining command from the game apparatus 12, themicrocomputer 100 controls the DC-DC converter 104 to stop the electricpower supply.

Alternatively, the microcomputer 100 determines it is the time the loadis detected at regular time intervals, and the microcomputer 100 maycontrol the DC-DC converter 104. In the case when the microcomputer 100periodically detects the load, information on the period may initiallybe imparted from the game apparatus 12 to the microcomputer 100 of theload controller 36 or previously stored in the microcomputer 100.

The data indicating the detection value from the load sensor 36 b istransmitted as the manipulation data (input data) of the load controller36 from the microcomputer 100 to the game apparatus 12 (FIG. 1) throughthe wireless module 106 and the antenna 106 a. For example, in the casewhere the command is received from the game apparatus 12 to detect theload, the microcomputer 100 transmits the detection value data to thegame apparatus 12 when receiving the detection value data of the loadsensor 36 b from the A/D converter 102. Alternatively, the microcomputer100 may transmit the detection value data to the game apparatus 12 atregular time intervals. If the transmission cycle is longer than thedetection cycle of the load, data including load values of the pluralityof detection timings detected by the transmission timing is transmitted.

Additionally, the wireless module 106 can communicate by a radiostandard (Bluetooth, wireless LAN, etc.) the same as that of the radiocontroller module 52 of the game apparatus 12. Accordingly, the CPU 40of the game apparatus 12 can transmit a load obtaining command to theload controller 36 via the radio controller module 52, etc. Themicrocomputer 100 of the load controller 36 can receive a command fromthe game apparatus 12 via the wireless module 106 and the antenna 106 a,and transmit input data including load detecting values (or loadcalculating values) of the respective load sensors 36 b to the gameapparatus 12.

For example, in the case of a game performed based on the simple totalvalue of the four load values detected by the four load sensors 36 b,the player can take any position with respect to the four load sensors36 b of the load controller 36, that is, the player can play the gamewhile riding on any position of the board 36 a with any orientation.However, depending on the type of the game, it is necessary to performprocessing while determining toward which direction the load valuedetected by each load sensors 36 b is orientated when viewed from theplayer. That is, it is necessary to understand a positional relationshipbetween the four load sensors 36 b of the load controller 36 and theplayer. For example, the positional relationship between the four loadsensors 36 b and the player is previously defined, and it may be assumedthat the player rides on the board 36 a such that the predeterminedpositional relationship is obtained. Typically, there is defined suchthe positional relationship that each two load sensors 36 b exist at thefront and the back of and on right and left sides of the player ridingon the center of the board 36 a, i.e. such the positional relationshipthat the load sensors 36 b exist in the right front, left front, rightrear, and left rear directions from the center of the playerrespectively when the player rides on the center of the board 36 a ofthe load controller 36. In this case, in this embodiment, the board 36 aof the load controller 36 takes shape of a rectangle in a plane view,and the power button 36 c is provided on one side (long side) of therectangle, and therefore, by means of the power button 36 c as a mark,the player is informed in advance that he or she rides on the board 36 asuch that the long side on which the power button 36 c is provided ispositioned in a predetermined direction (front, back, left or right).Thus, a load value detected at each load sensor 36 b becomes a loadvalue in a predetermined direction (right front, left front, right backand left back) when viewed from the player. Accordingly, the loadcontroller 36 and the game apparatus 12 can understand that to whichdirection each load detecting value corresponds, seen from the player onthe basis of the identification information of each load sensor 36 bincluded in the load detection value data and the arrangement data set(stored) in advance for indicating a position or a direction of eachload sensor 36 b with respect to the player. This makes it possible tograsp an intention of a game operation by the player such as anoperating direction from front to back and from side to side, forexample.

The arrangement of the load sensors 36 b relative to the player is notpreviously defined but the arrangement may be set by the player's inputin the initial setting, setting in the game, or the like. For example,the load is obtained while the screen in which the player instructed toride on the portion in a predetermined direction (such as the rightfront, left front, right rear, and left rear directions) when viewedfrom the player. Therefore, the positional relationship between eachload sensor 36 b and the player can be specified, and the information onthe arrangement by the setting can be generated and stored.Alternatively, a screen for selecting an arrangement of the loadcontroller 36 is displayed on the screen of the monitor 34 to allow theplayer to select by an input with the controller 22 to which directionthe mark (power button 36 c) exists when viewed from the player, and inresponse to the selection, arrangement data of each load sensor 36 b maybe generated and stored.

FIG. 8 is an illustrative view roughly explaining a state in which thegame is played using the controller 22 and load controller 36. As shownin FIG. 8, when playing a game by utilizing the controller 22 and theload controller 36 in the video game system 10, the player grasps thecontroller 22 in one hand while riding on the load controller 36.Exactly, the player grasps the controller 22 with the front-end surface(the side of the incident port 22 d to which the light imaged by theimaged information arithmetic section 80 is incident) of the controller22 orientated toward the markers 340 m and 340 n while riding on theload controller 36. However, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the markers 340m and 340 n are disposed in parallel with the crosswise direction of thescreen of the monitor 34. In this state of things, the player changesthe position on the screen indicated by the controller 22 or thedistance between the controller 22 and the marker 340 m or 340 n toperform the game manipulation.

Additionally, although FIG. 8 shows that by placing the load controller36 vertically to the screen of the monitor 34 (placing it such that thedirection of the long side is vertical to the screen), the player istransverse to the screen, a position of the load controller 36 and adirection of the player with respect to the screen may arbitrarily bechanged depending on the kind of the game, and by placing (by placing itsuch that the long side direction is parallel with the screen) the loadcontroller 36 horizontally to the screen, the player may be oriented toface with the screen, for example.

FIG. 9 is an illustrative view for explaining view angles of the markers340 m and 340 n and controller 22. As shown in FIG. 9, the markers 340 mand 340 n each emit the infrared ray in a range of a view angle θ1. Theimager 80 c of the imaged information arithmetic section 80 can receivethe incident light in a range of a view angle θ2 around a visual axisdirection of the controller 22. For example, each of the markers 340 mand 340 n has the view angle θ1 of 34° (half-value angle), and theimager 80 c has the view angle θ2 of 41°. The player grasps thecontroller 22 such that the imager 80 c is set to the position andorientation at which the infrared rays can be received from the twomarkers 340 m and 340 n. Specifically, the player grasps the controller22 such that at least one of the markers 340 m and 340 n exists in theview angle θ2 of the imager 80 c while the controller 22 exists in theview angle θ1 of at least one of the markers 340 m and 340 n. In thisstate, the controller 22 can detect at least one of the markers 340 mand 340 n. The player can change the position and orientation of thecontroller 22 to perform the game manipulation in the range satisfyingthis state.

In the case where the position and orientation of the controller 22 areout of the range, the game manipulation cannot be performed based on theposition and orientation of the controller 22. Hereinafter the range isreferred to as “manipulable range”.

In the case where the controller 22 is grasped in the manipulable range,the images of the markers 340 m and 340 n are taken by the imagedinformation arithmetic section 80. That is, the imaged image obtained bythe imager 80 c includes the images (target images) of the markers 340 mand 340 n that are of the imaging target. FIG. 10 is a view showing anexample of the imaged image including the target image. Using the imagedata of the imaged image including the target image, the imageprocessing circuit 80 d computes the coordinate (marker coordinate)indicating the position in the imaged images of the markers 340 m and340 n.

Because the target image appears as a high-brightness portion in theimage data of the imaged image, the image processing circuit 80 ddetects the high-brightness portion as a candidate of the target image.Then, the image processing circuit 80 d determines whether or not thehigh-brightness portion is the target image based on the size of thedetected high-brightness portion. Sometimes the imaged image includesnot only images 340 m′ and 340 n′ corresponding to the two markers 340 mand 340 n that are of the target image but also the image except for thetarget image due to the sunlight from a window or a fluorescent light.The processing of the determination whether or not the high-brightnessportion is the target image is performed in order to distinguish theimages 340 m′ and 340 n′ of the makers 340 m and 340 n that are of thetarget image from other images to exactly detect the target image.Specifically, the determination whether or not the detectedhigh-brightness portion has the size within a predetermined range ismade in the determination processing. When the high-brightness portionhas the size within the predetermined range, it is determined that thehigh-brightness portion indicates the target image. On the contrary,when the high-brightness portion does not have the size within thepredetermined range, it is determined that the high-brightness portionindicates the image except for the target image.

Then, the image processing circuit 80 d computes the position of thehigh-brightness portion for the high-brightness portion in which it isdetermined indicate the target image as a result of the determinationprocessing. Specifically, a position of the center of gravity of thehigh-brightness portion is computed. Hereinafter, the coordinate of theposition of the center of gravity is referred to as marker coordinate.The position of the center of gravity can be computed in more detailcompared with resolution of the imager 80 c. At this point, it isassumed that the image taken by the imager 80 c has the resolution of126×96 and the position of the center of gravity is computed in a scaleof 1024×768. That is, the marker coordinate is expressed by an integernumber of (0, 0) to (1024, 768).

The position in the imaged image is expressed by a coordinate system(XY-coordinate system) in which an origin is set to an upper left of theimaged image, a downward direction is set to a positive Y-axisdirection, and a rightward direction is set to a positive X-axisdirection.

In the case where the target image is correctly detected, two markercoordinates are computed because the two high-brightness portions aredetermined as the target image by the determination processing. Theimage processing circuit 80 d outputs the pieces of data indicating thetwo computed marker coordinates. As described above, the outputtedpieces of marker coordinate data are added to the input data by theprocessor 70 and transmitted to the game apparatus 12.

When the game apparatus 12 (CPU 40) detects the marker coordinate datafrom the received input data, the game apparatus 12 can compute theposition (indicated coordinate) indicated by the controller 22 on thescreen of the monitor 34 and the distances between the controller 22 andthe markers 340 m and 340 n based on the marker coordinate data.Specifically, the position toward which the controller 22 is orientated,i.e., the indicated position is computed from the position at themidpoint of the two marker coordinates. Accordingly, the controller 22functions as a pointing device for instructing an arbitrary positionwithin the screen of the monitor 34. The distance between the targetimages in the imaged image is changed according to the distances betweenthe controller 22 and the markers 340 m and 340 n, and therefore, bycomputing the distance between the marker coordinates, the gameapparatus 12 can compute the current distances between the controller 22and the markers 340 m and 340 n.

In the game system 10, a game is performed by a player's motion byputting the feet on and down from the load controller 36. In thisembodiment, a step-up-and-down exercise game is performed. Thestep-up-and-down exercise is an exercise of repetitively putting thefoot of a person on and down from the board. As shown in FIG. 11, theplayer plays the game by performing a motion of putting the foot on anddown it from the load controller 36 while regarding the load controller36 as a stepping board.

FIG. 11 shows a case that the player performs a step-up-and-downexercise from the right foot on the load controller 36 placed in frontof him as one example. More specifically, as a first step (FIG. 11(A)),the right foot is put on, as a second step (FIG. 11(B)), the left footis put on, as a third step (FIG. 11(C)), the right foot is put downbackward, and as a fourth step (FIG. 11(D)), the left foot is put downbackward.

The motion of stepping up and down the load controller 36 is accordingto an instruction on the game screen described below, and can be changedas necessary. Accordingly, FIG. 11 shows that the stepping up and downexercise starts from the right foot, but may start from the left foot.Furthermore, FIG. 11 shows that the player first puts down the footwhich has formerly been ridden, but may first put down the foot whichhas later been ridden. In FIG. 11, the player steps up and down whilemoving forward and backward. Alternatively, the player may step up anddown while moving from side to side, or may step up and down whilemoving backward and forward, and from side to side in combination.

FIG. 12 shows one example of a game screen. At the center in thehorizontal direction of the screen, a plurality of panels 400 aredisplayed for instructing the player how to move. Each panel 400 shows apart of motion making up of the motions of the step-up-and-down exercisein this embodiment. The arrangement of the plurality (four in thisembodiment) of panels 400 in a predetermined order can inform the motionto be executed by the player in the step-up-and-down exercise as aseries of motions.

More specifically, in each panel 400, two right and left foot prints aredrawn, and by changing a color, a shape, a pattern, etc. of the footprints, a stepping up and down motion to be performed by the right andleft feet is represented. Additionally, as a basic manner of the panel400, a base color is drawn in white, and a line of the foot prints isdrawn in gray, for example. If no motion is required to be executed, thepanel 400 in this basic manner is used. In FIG. 12, a series of motionsof the step-up-and-down exercise shown in FIG. 11 is instructed by fourpanels 400 a-400 d. The panel 400 a is a panel for instructing theplayer to put a right foot on as a first step as shown in FIG. 11(A).For example, the foot print of the right foot is represented in red toshow that the right foot is ridden from a state that no foot is ridden.The panel 400 b is a panel for instructing the player to put the leftfoot on as a second step as shown in FIG. 11(B). For example, the leftfoot print is colored red, and the red of the right foot print is paled.This shows that the left step is further ridden from the state that theright foot is ridden. The panel 400 c is a panel for instructing theplayer to put the right foot down as a third step as shown in FIG.11(C). For example, the red of the left foot print is paled, and a reddown arrow is drawn on the right foot print. This shows that the rightfoot is put down rearward from a state that both of the feet are ridden.The panel 400 d is a panel for instructing the player to put the leftfoot down as a fourth step as shown in FIG. 11(D). For example, a reddown arrow is drawn on the left foot print. This shows that the leftfoot is put down rearward in a state that the left foot is ridden.

Each panel 400 is constructed so as to sequentially appear from theupper end of the screen, move down, and disappear to the lower end ofthe screen. At a predetermined position below the center of the screen,a frame 402 is fixedly arranged. The frame 402 is provided on the movingpath of the panels 400, and the panel 400 is stopped within the frame402 for a set amount of time. The frame 402 can instruct the panel 400for a motion to currently be executed. The panel 400 moving into theposition of the frame 402 out of the plurality of panels 400 indicates amotion to be currently executed.

In addition, on the screen, a plurality of characters 404 are displayedat the right and left of the panel 400, for example. These characters404 are controlled so as to make their actions according to theinstruction by the panel 400 and the frame 402. In FIG. 12, since thepanel 400 a moves into the frame 402, each of the characters 404performs a motion of putting the right foot on the board. By the actionof each of the characters 404, it is possible to confirm the motioninstructed on the panel 400.

The player performs a motion on the load controller 36 according to amotion instruction. In the game apparatus 12, it is determined whetheror not the instructed motion is performed by the player on the basis ofa load value detected by the load controller 36. If it is determinedthat the motion is performed, the player can gain a score. In addition,the timing of the motion is judged, and if the timing is good, a highscore can be gained.

As shown in FIG. 13, in this embodiment, the judgment of the motion isperformed by being brought into association with a state of the movementof the panel 400 for instructing a motion. As described above, theplurality of panels 400 are controlled so as to move from top to bottomin a predetermined alignment on the screen, and to stop within the frame402 for a set amount of time, so that a panel 400 moving from top stopsfor a set amount of time in a state that it is adjacent to the frame402, and then starts moving. The motion instructed to the player by thepanel 400 is required to be executed from when the panel 400 starsentering into the frame 402 to when the panel 400 starts going out fromthe frame 402. Thus, a time limit is prepared for the judgment of themotion, and the time limit is decided to be a suitable value in advanceas a success-or-failure judgment time TA. The success-or-failurejudgment time (time limit) TA is set to a suitable value depending onhow fast the player is made to perform the motion of stepping up anddown, for example.

Furthermore, the panel 400 is stopped within the frame 402 after apredetermined time PS elapses from the start of the movement, and thencontinues to be stopped until the time limit TA expires. The provisionof the stopping period to the movement of the panels can clearly showthe player when an instruction of each motion is started and ended. Thepanel stopping time PS is set to a proper value in advance byexperiments, etc. so as to be timing suitable for a motion of steppingup and down, for example. For example, the timing when the foot movingfor stepping up and down accurately touches the load controller 36 orthe ground (floor) may be adopted. Thus, the player can perform a motionaccording to the moving state of the panels 400 such that he or she putsthe foot down and on another place while the panels 400 moves, andcompletely puts the foot on in order to prepare for a next positionwhile the panel 400 is stopped.

If it is not determined that the motion is performed from when theinstruction panel 400 starts to move to when the time limit TA expires,it is determined that the execution of the motion fails. If it is afailure judgment, the player is not scored.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the motion is performed bythe time when the time limit TA expires, it is determined that theexecution of the motion succeeds, and the player is scored. Accordingly,for example, even if the motion is performed by a foot different fromthe instructed foot, if the motion is done again by the accurate foot bythe time when the time limit TA expires, a success judgment isperformed.

In addition, in this embodiment, a score corresponding to the timingwhen it is determined that a motion is performed may be given. Out ofthe success judgment, a motion performed in good timing called a perfectjudgment, and the rest is called an OK judgment. As a time fordiscriminating the perfect judgment from the OK judgment, a perfectjudgment time from Tp0 to Tp1 is set. When the elapsed time when it isdetermined that the motion is performed falls in the range from Tp0 toTp1, the perfect judgment is made. That is, the period when the elapsedtime falls in the range from Tp0 to Tp1 is a perfect judgment area, theperiod when the elapsed time falls in the range from 0 to Tp0 and theperiod when the elapsed time falls in the range from Tp1 to TA are OKjudgment areas.

The perfect judgment times Tp0 and Tp1 are decided to be a valuesuitable for a motion of stepping up and down by experiments. In a casethat the panel stopping time PS is determined to be timing suitable forthe motion as described above, predetermined times before and after thepanel stopping time PS are adopted as perfect judgment areas. In thiscase, the player can easily obtain a perfect judgment if the foot is puton the load controller 36 or the ground at right timing when theinstruction panel 400 on the screen is stopped.

As to the motions of step-up-and-down exercise at first to third steps,by a detected load value, whether each motion is performed or not can bedetermined, and by the timing when the motion is performed, whether theOK judgment or the perfect judgment can be determined. However, as to amotion at the fourth step for putting down the left foot which was puton the load controller 36 on the floor to thereby put the both feet onthe floor, it is difficult to determine the timing when the motion isperformed by the detected load value. The reason why that at a time whenthe foot is put down from the load controller 36, the load value alreadybecomes approximately zero, and it is impossible to observe from achange of the load value that the foot is put on the floor, so that themotion at the fourth step is finished.

Here, in this embodiment, the judgment timing of a motion at the fourthstep is decided on the basis of an elapsed time from when theinstruction of the motion is given. More specifically, as shown in FIG.14, the timing when it is determined that a motion at the third step isperformed is utilized as the judgment timing of the motion at the fourthstep. The motion at the fourth step is a motion of putting the foot downfrom the load controller 36 similarly to the motion at the third step,and the third step is a motion immediately before, and therefore, themotion at the fourth step is expected to be performed in much the sameway as the motion at the third step. The judgment condition of a motionat the third step is set on the basis of the load value detected whenthe left foot which was put down from the load controller 36 is put onthe ground as described later. Accordingly, an elapsed time T3 from whenthe movement of the instruction panel 400 at the third step is startedto when the condition of the third step is satisfied is measured, andthe elapsed time T3 is set as a judgment timing of the fourth step. Thatis, the judgment of the motion at the fourth step is performed when anelapsed time T4 from the start of the movement of the instruction panel400 at the fourth step is equal to or more than T3. Thus, since thejudgment timing of the motion at the fourth step can be decided on thebasis of the timing when execution of the motion at the third step isjudged, it is possible to make a suitable judgment with simpleprocessing.

Here, in a case that the player does not perform a motion according toan instruction, it is impossible to measure the elapsed time T3 at thethird step, and therefore, in this case, when a predetermined timeelapses from the start of the instruction of the fourth step, a judgmenttiming of a motion at the fourth step is decided to thereby make ajudgment of the motion at the fourth step on the basis of the loadvalue. As described above, since the stopping time PS of the panel 400is set so as to be suitable for a motion of stepping up and down, andthe perfect judgment areas are set before and after the PS, it isexpected that the player puts the feet together in response to the stopof the panel 400. Accordingly, in this embodiment, by utilizing thepanel stopping time PS as a judgment timing of a motion at the fourthstep, it is possible to determine the motion at an appropriate timing.That is, in a case that the elapsed time T3 at the third step cannot bedetected, the judgment of a motion at the fourth step is performed afterthe elapsed time from the start of the movement of the panel 400 isequal to or more than the panel stopping time PS.

Thus, on the basis of the elapsed time from the instruction of themotion at the fourth step, the judgment timing of the motion at thefourth step is decided, and therefore, it is possible to appropriatelydecide the judgment timing of a motion by the player.

FIG. 15 shows one example of a memory map of the game apparatus 12. Thememory map includes a program memory area 500 and a data memory area502. The program and the data are read from the optical disk 18 entirelyat a time, or partially and sequentially as necessary so as to be storedinto the external memory 46 or the internal memory 42 e. Furthermore, inthe data memory area 502, data generated or fetched by the processing isalso stored. The program is a load detecting program for making the gamesystem 10 function as a load detecting apparatus.

Additionally, FIG. 15 shows only a part of the memory map, and otherprograms and data necessary for processing are also stored. For example,sound data for outputting a sound such as a voice, a sound effect,music, etc., image data for generating a screen, a sound output program,an image generating and displaying program, etc. are read from theoptical disk 18, and stored in the data memory area 502 or the programmemory area 500. It should be noted that in this embodiment, a programand data are read from the optical disk 18, but in another embodiment, aprogram and data stored in advance in a nonvolatile storage medium suchas the flash memory 44, etc. incorporated in the game apparatus 12 isread so as to be stored in the external memory 46 or the internal memory42 e. Alternatively, a program, etc. downloaded via a network byutilizing the radio communication module 50 of the game apparatus 12 ora communication module connected to the expansion connector 60 may bestored in the storage medium.

A memory area 504 stores a load value detecting program. The program isfor detecting a load value of the load controller 36. For example, whena load is required, a load obtaining command is transmitted to the loadcontroller 36 via the radio controller module 52, and a load value ofeach load sensor 36 b is detected from the data of the load controller36 received in the radio controller module 52. At a time of a judgmentof the motion, a load value is fetched at an interval of a constantperiod, such as one frame ( 1/60 seconds), for example.

A memory area 506 stores a motion instructing program. The program isfor instructing a player of a motion to be executed. The movements andstops of the plurality of panels 400 for instructing a series of motionsare controlled on the basis of the success-or-failure judgment time TAand the panel stopping time PS, etc. as described above.

The elapsed time counting program is a program for measuring a lapse oftime after the instruction of a motion. More specifically, the time whena panel 400 starts to move from the position upwardly adjacent to theframe 402 into the frame 402 is the time when the motion correspondingto the panel 400 is instructed, and therefore, the time is counted fromwhen the panel 400 starts to move into the frame 402.

A memory area 510 stores a judgment timing deciding program. The programis for deciding whether a judgment timing of the motion or not on thebasis of an elapsed time. In this embodiment, the judgment timing of amotion at the fourth step of the step-up-and-down exercise is decided.More specifically, as described above, it is determined whether or notthe elapsed time T4 from the instruction of a motion at the fourth stepis equal to or more than the elapsed time T3 measured at a motion at thethird step. Or, it is determined whether or not the elapsed time T4 isequal to or more than the panel stopping time PS.

A memory area 512 stores a load determining program. The program is fordetermining whether or not the detected load value becomes apredetermined state. The predetermined state is a state in which acondition for determining each motion of the step-up-and-down exerciseis satisfied. The judgment condition of each motion is a ratio of a loadvalue to a body weight value of the player, and a position of the centerof gravity of the load value. In this embodiment, it is determinedwhether or not the load value detected as to a motion at the third stepof the step-up-and-down exercise becomes a predetermined state, and theelapsed time T3 from when the instruction of the motion is started towhen it is determined that the load value becomes the predeterminedstate is adopted as a judgment timing of a motion at the fourth step.

A memory area 514 stores a motion determining program. The program is,when it is determined that the judgment timing of a motion has come, fordetermining whether or not the motion is performed on the basis of theload value. In this embodiment, when it is determined that the judgmenttiming of a motion at the fourth step of the step-up-and-down exercisehas come, it is determined whether or not the motion is performed on thebasis of the detected load value.

A memory area 516 stores a motion's completion notifying program. Theprogram is for notifying the player that the motion is performed when itis determined that the instructed motion is performed. This makes itpossible to easily inform the player whether or not the motion isexecuted. In this embodiment, by outputting a predetermined soundindicating that execution of the instructed motion is determined fromthe speaker 34 a, it is possible to inform the player that theinstructed motion is performed. Furthermore, this may be informed by animage display such as change of a color of the panel 400 correspondingto the instructed motion, and display of letters representing a successon the screen, for example.

A memory area 518 of the data memory area 502 stores a body weight valueof the player. The body weight value is calculated by summing loadvalues of all the load sensors 36 b detected when the player rides stillon the load controller 36. Additionally, when the body weight value ismeasured, a screen for instructing the player to gently ride on the loadcontroller 36 with both feet is displayed before start of thestep-up-and-down exercise.

A memory area 520 stores a time counter. The time counter is a counterfor counting an elapsed time from an instruction of each motion. In thisembodiment, the count is performed at an interval of a preset time (1frame).

A memory area 522 stores a load value of each of the load sensors 36 bdetected by the load detecting program. When judgment of the conditionof a motion is performed by the load determining program or the motiondetermining program, a ratio between a sum of the load values and a bodyweight value, and a position of the center of gravity are calculated.

A memory area 524 stores a position of the center of gravity. Theposition of the center of gravity is a position of the center of gravityof a load value of each load sensor 36 b of the load controller 36. Inthis embodiment, as understood from that the two foot prints arearranged in a direction of the long side of the rectangle instructionpanel 400 shown in FIG. 12, the step-up-and-down exercise is performedsuch that the long side of the rectangular board 36 a of the loadcontroller 36 positions in a back-and-forth direction of the player, andthe short side positions in a right and left direction of the player.Then, since a position of the center of gravity in the right and leftdirection is used for the judgment of the motion, the position of thecenter of gravity in the right and left direction is calculated on thebasis of the fetched load value of each of the load sensors 36 bacquired in the memory area 522, and stored in the memory area 524.

When a load value detected by the load sensor 36 b at the left front ofthe player is a, when a load value detected by the load sensor 36 b atthe left back is b, when a load value detected by the load sensor 36 bat the right front is c, when a load value detected by the load sensor36 b at the right back is d, the position of the center of gravity inthe right and left direction XG is calculated by Equation 1 below.

XG=((c+d)−(a+b))*m  [Equation 1]

Here, m is a constant, and set to a value satisfying −1≦XG≦1.

Additionally, although not utilized in this embodiment, in anotherembodiment, judgment may be decided on the basis of a position of thecenter of gravity in a back and forth direction depending on the motion,and in this case, a position of the center of gravity in a back andforth direction YG is calculated by a following Equation 2.

YG=((a+c)−(b+d))*n  [Equation 2]

Here, n is a constant, and set to a value satisfying −1≦YG≦1.

Thus, a position of the center of gravity in a right and left directionXG is calculated on the basis of the difference between the load value(c+d) at the right of the player and the load value (a+b) at the left ofthe player, and the position of the center of gravity in aback-and-forth direction YG is calculated on the basis of the differencebetween the load value (a+c) in front of the player and the load value(b+d) at the rear of the player.

It should be noted toward which direction (right front, right back, leftfront, left back in this embodiment) each load sensor 36 b exists whenviewed from the player can be grasped from the arrangement data which isdecided in advance or set by the player so as to be stored as describedabove.

A memory area 526 stores an elapsed time counted by the elapsed timecounting program. More specifically, an elapsed time from when a motioninstruction at the first step of the step-up-and-down exercise is givento when it is determined that the motion is performed is stored as T1.For example, the time when the motion instruction is given is a timewhen the panel 400 of the motion starts to move into the frame 402, andthe time when it is determined that the motion is performed is a timewhen a motion completion sound is output. Similarly, an elapsed time asto a motion at the second step is stored as T2, and an elapsed time asto a motion at the third step is stored as T3. Furthermore, as to anelapsed time T4 of a motion at the fourth step, an elapsed time fromwhen a motion at the fourth step instruction is given to the present isstored.

A memory area 528 stores a panel stopping time PS indicating a timeduring which the instruction panel 400 is stopped. A memory area 530stores the success-or-failure judgment time TA indicating a time limitfor judging a motion to be currently executed. A memory area 532 storesthe perfect judgment time Tp0, Tp1 for defining the perfect judgmentarea. The panel stopping time PS, the success-or-failure judgment timeTA, and the perfect judgment time Tp0, Tp1 are read from the opticaldisk 18. In this embodiment, a common value suitable for the respectivemotions at the first to fourth steps is set in each of the PS, the TA,the Tp0 and the Tp1 such that the step-up-and-down exercise is performedat a constant rhythm. It should be noted that in another embodiment,different values for each motion may be set to the PS, the TA, the Tp0and the Tp1.

A memory area 534 stores a result of the game. As a game result, a scoreof the player, an evaluation (perfect, OK or failure), etc. of therespective motions at the first to the fourth steps are stored.

FIG. 16 shows one example of an operation of the game apparatus 12 whena step-up-and-down exercise is performed. In a step S1, the CPU 40executes body weight value measuring processing. A load value of eachload sensor 36 b when the player calmly rides on the load controller 36is detected. More specifically, the CPU 40 transmits a load obtainingcommand to the load controller 36 via the radio controller module 52,etc. In response thereto, the microcomputer 100 of the load controller36 detects a load value of each of the load sensors 36 b, and transmitsinput data including each of the load values to the game apparatus 12via the wireless module 106, etc. The CPU 40 receives the input dataincluding each of the load values via the radio controller module 52,etc., and detects each of the load values so as to store the same in thememory area 522. Then, a body weight value is calculated by summing allthe load values of all the load sensors 36 b. Additionally, a screen forinstructing the player to ride on the load controller 36 with both feetmay be displayed on the monitor 34.

In a succeeding step S3, the CPU 40 writes the body weight value to theexternal main memory 46. Thus, the body weight value of the player isstored in the memory area 518.

Then, in a step S5, the CPU 40 displays the instruction panels 400. Morespecifically, the CPU 40 generates a game screen shown in FIG. 12including the instruction panels 400 by utilizing the GPU 42 b, etc. ofthe system LSI 42 to display the same on the monitor 34. Here, asdescribed above, each of the panels 400 for instructing each motion ofthe step-up-and-down exercise is displayed at a predetermined initialposition at the top of the center of the screen in a predetermined orderand downwardly moves toward the frame 402 while including a constantstopped time. The control of the movement from the time when the motionof each panel 400 becomes a motion to be currently executed is executedin processing for each motion, and therefore, in the step S5, theprocessing is executed until the instruction panel 400 at the first stepis a motion to be executed, that is, the instruction panel 400 at thefirst step is stopped upwardly adjacent to the frame 402.

Succeedingly, in a step S7, the CPU 40 executes first step processingfor judging a motion at the first step of the step-up-and-down exercise.The detail of the first step processing is shown in FIG. 17 describedlater. Furthermore, in each of steps S9, S11 and S13, the CPU 40executes second step processing for judging a motion at the second step,third step processing for judging a motion at the third step and fourthstep processing for judging a motion at the fourth step. The detail ofthe second step processing, the third step processing and the fourthstep processing are shown in FIG. 18, FIG. 19 and FIG. 20, respectively,described later.

In a step S15, the CPU 40 determines whether or not a game is to beended. For example, it is determined whether or not the step-up-and-downexercise is performed for a predetermined time period or at apredetermined number of times. If “NO” in the step S15, the processreturns to the step S7 to judge each of the motions of thestep-up-and-down exercise again. On the other hand, in a case that it isdetermined that the game end condition is satisfied in the step S15, theCPU 40 executes game end processing in a step S17 to end the gameprocessing of the step-up-and-down exercise. For example, the sum of thescores obtained by the successes of the respective motions of thestep-up-and-down exercise is calculated, the score and a result of theevaluation corresponding to the score are displayed, and so forth.

FIG. 17 shows one example of an operation of the CPU 40 in the firststep processing shown in the step S7. The first step of thestep-up-and-down exercise is a motion of putting the right foot on theload controller 36 as shown in FIG. 11(A). When the first stepprocessing is started, the CPU 40 starts movement processing of theinstruction panels 400 according to the motion instructing program in astep S31. The panel 400 for instructing a motion at the first step isthe panel 400 a shown in FIG. 12. The movement processing of the panels400 started in the step S1 is executed in parallel with other processingin FIG. 17. By the movement processing of the panels 400, the panel 400a moves into the frame 402 from the position upwardly adjacent to theframe 402. As shown in FIG. 13, the panel 400 a is controlled such thatthe panel 400 a is within the frame 402 when the predetermined time PSelapses from the start of the movement, and continues to be stoppedwithin the frame 402 until the predetermined time TA elapses from thestart of the movement.

The processing in succeeding steps S33-S43 is executed at a setintervals of times (one frame) until it is determined that a motion atthe first step is performed on the basis of the load values in the stepS41, or until it is determined that a motion at the first step is notperformed within the time limit in the step S43.

In the step S33, the CPU 40 executes time counting processing. Forexample, by incrementing the time counter, the value of the time counterof the memory area 520 is updated. By the time counting processing, itis possible to count an elapsed time from when the motion instruction isgiven.

Furthermore, in the step S35, the CPU 40 executes load value fetchingprocessing. More specifically, the CPU 40 transmits a load obtainingcommand to the load controller 36 via the radio controller module 52,etc. In response thereto, input data including the detected load valuesis transmitted from the load controller 36. The CPU 40 detects the loadvalues of the respective load sensors 36 b from the input data receivedby the wireless controller module 52, and stores the same in the memoryarea 522.

It is determined whether or not the instructed motion on the panel 400is performed on the basis of the detected load values. The judgment ofthe motion is performed on the basis of a ratio of the load values tothe body weight value, and a position of the center of gravity.

More specifically, in the step S37, the CPU 40 determines whether or notthe load value is 25-75% of the body weight value. The load valuecompared with the condition here is a sum of the load values of therespective load sensors 36 b stored in the memory area 522. The ratio ofthe sum of the load values to the body weight value in the memory area518 is calculated, and it is determined whether or not the ratio iswithin the range of 25-75% as a judgment condition of the first step.The judgment condition relating to the ratio is set to an appropriatevalue by experiments in advance and stored. The motion at the first stepin this embodiment is a motion of putting the right foot on the loadcontroller 36. Here, when the motion of the right foot is performed, theleft foot remains to be put on the ground, so that the half of all theplayer's weight is put on the load controller 36. Thus, in view of thedifference of the balance of the loads put on the right and left feetdue to a habit for each player, etc., if the sum of the detected loadsis 25-75% of the body weight value, it can be determined that one footis put on the load controller 36.

If “YES” in the step S37, that is, if the condition of the ratio of theload values is satisfied, the CPU 40 calculates a position of the centerof gravity in order to perform the judgment of a condition of theposition of the center of gravity in the step S39 and stores it in thememory area 524. The position of the center of gravity is calculated onthe basis of the load values of the respective load sensors 36 b storedin the memory area 522 according to the above-described Equation 1.

Then, in the step S41, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the positionof the center of gravity falls in the range of 0.01 to 1 as a judgmentcondition at the first step. The motion at the first step in thisembodiment is a motion of putting the right foot on the load controller36, and the right foot is put on the right side of the load controller36 when viewed from the player, and therefore, the position of thecenter of gravity appears on the right side of the load controller 36when viewed from the player. Accordingly, if the calculated position ofthe center of gravity falls in the range of 0.01 to 1, it can bedetermined that the right foot is put on the load controller 36.

If “NO” in the step S41, that is, if the condition of the position ofthe center of gravity is not satisfied, it can be determined that themotion at the first step is not performed. Furthermore, if “NO” in thestep S37, that is, if the condition of the ratio of the load values isalso not satisfied, the same is true for this. In these cases, the CPU40 determines whether or not the predetermined time TA elapses from thestart of the movement of the panel in the step S43. The elapsed timefrom the start of the movement of the panel to the present can befetched by the value of the time counter of the memory area 520.Furthermore, the predetermined time TA is a success-or-failure judgmenttime of the memory area 530, that is, a time limit. If “NO” in the stepS43, that is, if the elapsed time falls within the time limit of themotion judgment at the first step, the process returns to the step S33.Accordingly, until the time limit expires, the motion judgment at thefirst step is continued on the basis of the detected load value.

On the other hand, if “YES” in the step S43, that is, if the time limitexpires without the motion at the first step being performed, the CPU 40executes failure processing in a step S45. Since it is determined thatthe player cannot perform the instructed motion at the first step by thepanel 400, a score is not given to the player. Furthermore, dataindicating the failure judgment as to the motion at first step is storedin the game result memory area 534. Alternatively, a failure of themotion may be displayed on the screen by letters of FAILURE, etc.

Furthermore, if “YES” in the step S41, that is, if it is determined thatthe motion at the first step is performed, the CPU 40 informs the playerof this with a motion completion sound in a step S47. More specifically,the CPU 40 generates audio data for outputting a motion completion soundon the basis of predetermined sound data by utilizing the DSP 42 c,etc., and outputs the sound from the speaker 34 a via the AV IC 56, etc.Thus, the player is easily informed that the motion at the first step issuccessful.

In a succeeding step S49, the CPU 40 detects an elapsed time T1 from thestart of the movement of the instruction panel 400 to the notificationwith the motion completion sound, that is, detects the elapsed time T1from when the motion instruction is given to when it is determined thatthe motion is performed on the basis of the value of the time counter inthe memory area 520, and stores the same in the memory area 526.

Then, in a step S51, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the elapsedtime T1 is equal to or more than Tp0 and equal to or less than Tp1. TheTp0 and Tp1 are threshold values for a perfect judgment, and stored inthe memory area 532. If “YES” in the step S51, that is, if the elapsedtime T1 is a value within the perfect judgment area, the CPU 40 executesperfect success processing in a step S53. More specifically, a scorehigher than that in the OK judgment is given to the player, and is addedto the score data of the player in the game result memory area 534.Furthermore, evaluation data indicating the perfect judgment as to themotion at the first step is also stored in the memory area 534.Additionally, the fact the motion is perfect may be displayed on thescreen by letters of PERFECT, etc.

On the other hand, if “NO” in the step S51, that is, if the motion isnot performed at timing within the perfect judgment area, the CPU 40executes OK success processing in a step S55. More specifically, a scorelower than that in the perfect judgment is given to the player, and isadded to the score data of the player in the game result memory area534. Furthermore, evaluation data indicating the OK judgment as to themotion at the first step is also stored in the memory area 534.Additionally, the fact the motion is OK may be displayed on the screenby letters of PERFECT, etc.

When the processing in the step S45, the step S53 or the step S55 isended, the first step processing is ended, and the process proceeds tothe second step processing in the step S9.

FIG. 18 shows one example of an operation of the CPU 40 in the secondstep processing in the step S9. The second step in the step-up-and-downexercise is a motion of putting the left foot on the load controller 36as shown in FIG. 11(B).

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 13 described above, the instruction panel400 stops when a predetermined time PS elapses from when it starts tomove into the frame 402, and the instruction panel 400 starts to moveoutside the frame 402 when a further predetermined time TA elapses. Atthe same time, an instruction panel 400 of a next motion starts to moveinto the frame 402. That is, when the predetermined time TA elapses fromwhen the previous panel 400 starts to move, the next panel 400 starts tomove to thereby instruct the player to when to move. Accordingly, thesecond step processing is executed when the predetermined time TAelapses from the start of the movement of the instruction panel 400 inthe first step processing. If the perfect success processing in the stepS53 or the OK success processing in the step S55 is performed in thefirst step processing, execution of the second step processing is waiteduntil the predetermined time TA elapses.

When starting the second step processing, the CPU 40 starts movementprocessing of the instruction panels 400 in a step S71. The movementprocessing of the panels 400 is similar to that in the above-describedstep S31. Here, the panel 400 for instructing a motion at the secondstep is the panel 400 b shown in FIG. 12.

Processing in succeeding steps S73-S83 is executed at a set intervals oftimes (one frame) until it is determined that a motion at the secondstep is performed on the basis of the load value in the step S81, or itis determined that the motion at the second step is not performed withinthe time limit in the step S83.

In the step S73, the CPU 40 executes time counting processing similar tothe above-described step S33. Furthermore, in the step S75, the CPU 40executes load value fetching processing similar to the above-describedstep S35.

Then, in the step S77, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the loadvalue is equal to or more than 95% of the body weight value. A judgmentcondition of a ratio of the load value to the body weight value withrespect to the motion at the second step is set to equal to or more than95% in advance. The motion at the second step is a motion of furtherputting the left foot on the load controller 36 from a state the rightfoot is put thereon, and when the motion at the second step iscompleted, almost all the player's weight is put on the load controller36. If the sum of the detected loads is equal to or more than 95% of thebody weight value, it can be determined that both of the feet are put onthe load controller 36.

If “YES” in the step S77, the CPU 40 calculates a position of the centerof gravity similar to the above-described step S39 in the step S79.Then, in the step S81, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the positionof the center of gravity falls in the range of −0.7 to 0.7 as a judgmentcondition of the second step. By the motion at the second step, both ofthe feet are put on the load controller 36, so that the position of thecenter of gravity appears at approximately the center of the loadcontroller 36. Accordingly, in view of the difference in the position ofthe center of gravity due to a habit for each player, etc., if thecalculated position of the center of gravity falls in the range of −0.7to 0.7, it can be determined that the motion at the second step iscompleted and both of the feet are put on the load controller 36.

If “NO” in the step S81, or if “NO” in the step S77, it can bedetermined that the motion at the second step is not performed. In thesecases, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the predetermined time TAelapses from the start of the movement of the panel similar to theabove-described step S43 in the step S83. If “NO” in the step S83, theprocess returns to the step S73.

On the other hand, if “YES” in the step S83, that is, if the time limitexpires without execution of the motion at the second step beingdetermined, the CPU 40 executes failure processing similar to theabove-described step S45 in a step S85. Here, since the motion judgmentis as to the second step, the evaluation data indicating a failurejudgment as to the motion at the second step is stored in the gameresult memory area 534.

Furthermore, if “YES” in the step S81, that is, if it is determined thatthe motion at the second step is performed, the CPU 40 informs this witha motion completion sound similar to the above-described step S47 in astep S87.

In a succeeding step S89, the CPU 40 detects an elapsed time T2 from thestart of the movement of the instruction panel 400 at the second step tothe notification with the motion completion sound, that is, detects theelapsed time T2 from when the instruction of the motion at the secondstep is given to when it is determined the motion is performed on thebasis of the value of the time counter of the memory area 520, andstores the same in the memory area 526.

Then, in a step S91, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the elapsedtime T2 is equal to or more than Tp0 and equal to or less than Tp1, andwhether or not the determination result at the first step is perfect. Inthis embodiment, in order to obtain the perfect judgment at the secondstep, the perfect judgment is required to be obtained at the first stepas well as the timing when the motion at the second step is performed iswithin the perfect judgment area. More specifically, it is determinedwhether or not the elapsed time T2 falls in the perfect judgment area.In addition, with reference to the evaluation data as to the first stepstored in the game result memory area 534, it is determined whether thedata indicating the perfect judgment or not.

If “YES” in the step S91, that is, if the perfect judgment is performedas to the second step, the CPU 40 executes perfect success processingsimilar to the above-described step S53 in a step S93. Here, since themotion judgment is as to the second step, the evaluation data indicatingthe perfect judgment as to the motion at the second step is stored inthe game result memory area 534.

On the other hand, if “NO” in the step S91, the CPU 40 executes OKsuccess processing similar to the above-described step S55 in a stepS95. Here, since the motion judgment is as to the second step, theevaluation data indicating the OK judgment as to the motion at thesecond step is stored in the game result memory area 534.

After completion of the step S85, the step S93 or the step S95, thesecond step processing is ended, and the process proceeds to the thirdstep processing in the step S11.

FIG. 19 shows one example of an operation of the CPU 40 of the thirdstep processing in the step S11. The third step in the step-up-and-downexercise is a motion of putting the right foot down from the loadcontroller 36 from a state that both of the feet are put on the loadcontroller 36 as shown in FIG. 11(C).

Additionally, the third step processing is executed after thepredetermined time TA elapses from the start of the movement of theprevious instruction panel 400 similar to the above-described secondstep processing.

When the third step processing is started, in a step S111, the CPU 40starts movement processing of the instruction panels 400. The movementprocessing of the panels 400 is similar to that in the above-describedstep S31. Here, the panel 400 for instructing the motion at the thirdstep is the panel 400 c shown in FIG. 12.

The processing in succeeding steps S113-S123 is executed at a setintervals of times (one frame) until it is determined that a motion atthe third step is performed on the basis of the load value in the stepS121, or it is determined that the motion at the third step is notperformed within the time limit in the step S123.

In the step S113, the CPU 40 executes time counting processing similarto the above-described step S33. Furthermore, in the step S115, the CPU40 executes load value fetching processing similar to theabove-described step S35.

Then, in the step S117, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the loadvalue is 25 to 75% of the body weight value similar to theabove-described step S37. A judgment condition of a ratio of the loadvalue to the body weight value with respect to the third step is set to25 to 75% in advance. The motion at the third step is a motion ofputting the right foot down from the load controller 36 from a statethat both of the feet are put on the load controller 36. When the motionat the third step is completed, the right foot is put on the ground, sothat the load of the left foot is only put on the load controller 36.Accordingly, if the sum of the detected loads is 25 to 75% of the bodyweight value, it can be determined that the right foot is put down fromthe load controller 36. Here, similar to the motion at the first step,by the motion at the third step, one foot is put on the load controller36 in a state that the other foot is put on the ground, the condition ofthe ratio of the load value at the third step is the same as that in theabove-described first step.

If “YES” in the step S117, the CPU 40 calculates a position of thecenter of gravity similar to the above-described step S39 in the stepS119. Then, in the step S121, the CPU 40 determines whether or not theposition of the center of gravity falls in the range of −1 to −0.01 asthe judgment condition of the third step. By the motion at the thirdstep, the right foot is put down from the load controller 36, and onlythe left foot remains on the load controller 36, so that the position ofthe center of gravity appears on the left side of the load controller 36when viewed from the player. Accordingly, if the calculated position ofthe center of gravity falls in the range of −1 to −0.01, it can bedetermined that the motion at the third step is completed, and the rightfoot is put down.

If “NO” in the step S121, or if “NO” in the step S117, it can bedetermined that the motion at the third step is not performed. In thesecases, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the predetermined time TAelapses from the start of the movement of the panel similar to theabove-described step S43 in the step S123. If “NO” in the step S123, theprocess returns to the step S113.

On the other hand, if “YES” in the step S123, that is, if the time limitexpires without execution of the motion at the third step beingdetermined, the CPU 40 executes failure processing similar to theabove-described step S45 in a step S125. Here, since the motion judgmentis as to the third step, the evaluation data indicating a failurejudgment as to the motion at the third step is stored in the game resultmemory area 534.

Furthermore, if “YES” in the step S121, that is, if it is determined themotion at the third step is performed, the CPU 40 notifies this with amotion completion sound similar to the above-described step S47 in astep S127.

In a succeeding step S129, the CPU 40 detects an elapsed time T3 fromthe start of the movement of the instruction panel 400 at the third stepto the notification with the motion completion sound, that is, detectsthe elapsed time T3 from when the instruction of the motion at the thirdstep is given to when it is determined that the motion is performed onthe basis of the value of the time counter of the memory area 520, andstores the same in the memory area 526. The judgment timing of themotion at the third step is utilized as a judgment timing of a motion atthe fourth step.

Then, in a step S131, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the elapsedtime T3 is equal to or more than Tp0 and equal to or less than Tp1, andwhether or not the determination result at the first step is perfectsimilar to the above-described step S91. In this embodiment, in order toobtain the perfect judgment at the third step, it is necessary that thetiming when the motion at the third step is performed is within theperfect judgment area, and the perfect judgment is obtained at the firststep.

If “YES” in the step S131, that is, if the perfect judgment is performedwith respect to the motion at the third step, the CPU 40 executesperfect success processing similar to the above-described step S53 in astep S133. Here, since the motion judgment is as to the third step, theevaluation data indicating the perfect judgment as to the motion at thethird step is stored in the game result memory area 534.

On the other hand, if “NO” in the step S131, the CPU 40 executes OKsuccess processing similar to the above-described step S55 in a stepS135. Here, since the motion judgment is as to the third step, theevaluation data indicating the OK judgment as to the motion at the thirdstep is stored in the game result memory area 534.

After completion of the step S125, the step S133 or the step S135, thethird step processing is ended, and the process proceeds to the fourthstep processing in the step S13.

FIG. 20 shows one example of an operation of the CPU 40 in the fourthstep processing in the step S13. The fourth step of the step-up-and-downexercise is a motion of putting the left foot down from the loadcontroller 36 as shown in FIG. 11(D) to thereby bring about the statethat both of the feet are put down on the ground.

Additionally, the fourth step processing is executed after thepredetermined time TA elapses from the start of the movement of theprevious instruction panel 400 similar to the above-described secondstep processing and third step processing.

When the fourth step processing is started, the CPU 40 starts movementprocessing of the instruction panels 400 in a step S151. The movementprocessing of the panels 400 is similar to that in the above-describedstep S31. Here, the panel 400 for instructing the motion at the fourthstep is the panel 400 d shown in FIG. 12.

The processing in succeeding steps S153-S167 is executed at a setintervals of times (one frame) until it is determined that a motion atthe fourth step is performed on the basis of the load value in the stepS165, or it is determined that the motion at the fourth step is notperformed within the time limit in the step S167.

In the step S153, the CPU 40 executes time counting processing similarto the above-described step S33. Then, in the step S155, the CPU 40detects an elapsed time T4 from the start of the movement of theinstruction panel 400 at the fourth step on the basis of the value ofthe time counter in the memory area 520 and stores the same in thememory area 526. The judgment timing of the motion at the fourth step isdecided on the basis of the elapsed time T4 described above.

In the succeeding step S157, the CPU 40 determines whether or not theelapsed time T3 is detected with reference to the memory area 526. If“YES” in the step S157, that is, if it is determined that the motion atthe third step is performed, the judgment timing of the motion at thethird step is utilized as a judgment timing of a motion at the fourthstep in FIG. 14 described above. Accordingly, in the step S159, the CPU40 determines whether or not the elapsed time T4 is equal to or morethan the elapsed time T3, that is, whether or not the elapsed time T4becomes the judgment timing of the motion.

On the other hand, if “NO” in the step S157, that is, if it is notdetermined that the motion at the third step is performed, it isimpossible to determine the judgment timing of the motion at the fourthstep on the basis of the judgment timing of the motion at the thirdstep. Thus, as described above, by utilizing the panel stopping time PSset to be timing suitable for the motion of stepping up and down, it isdetermined whether or not the judgment timing of the motion at thefourth step has come. That is, in the step S161, it is determinedwhether or not the elapsed time T4 is equal to or more than the panelstopping time PS. If “NO” in the step S161, since the judgment timing ofthe motion at the fourth step has not come, the process returns to thestep S153.

Furthermore, if “YES” in the step S159 or if “YES” in the step S161,that is, if the judgment timing of the motion at the fourth step hascome, the CPU 40 executes load value fetching processing similar to theabove-described step S35 in the step S163.

Then, in the step S165, the CPU 40 determines whether or not the loadvalue is equal to or less than 5% of the body weight value similar tothe above-described step S37. A judgment condition of a ratio of theload value to the body weight value with respect to the fourth step isset to be equal to or less than 5% in advance. The motion at the fourthstep is a motion of putting the left foot down from the load controller36. When the motion at the fourth step is completed, both of the feetare put on the ground, so that the load put on the load controller 36 issubstantially zero. Thus, when it is determined that the judgment timingof the motion at the fourth step has come on the basis of the elapsedtime, if the sum of the detected loads is equal to or less than 5% ofthe body weight value, it can be determined that the left foot is putdown from the load controller 36.

Here, since the motion at the fourth step is performed to bring about astate that the feet of the player is not put on the load controller 36,in the judgment of the motion at the fourth step, only the condition ofthe ratio of the load value to the body weight value is taken intoaccount without seeing position of the center of gravity.

On the other hand, if “NO” in the step S165, it can be determined thatthe motion at the fourth step is not performed. Furthermore, if “NO” inthe step S159, since the elapsed time T4 has not reached the judgmenttiming of the motion, the motion judgment on the basis of the load valueis not performed. In these cases, the CPU 40 determines whether or notthe predetermined time TA elapses from the start of the movement of thepanel similar to the above-described step S43 in the step S167. That is,it is determined whether or not the elapsed time T4 is equal to or morethan the predetermined time TA. If “NO” in the step S167, that is, ifthe elapsed time T4 is within the time limit of the motion at the fourthstep, the process returns to the step S153.

On the other hand, if “YES” in the step S167, that is, if the time limitexpires without execution of the motion at the fourth step beingdetermined, the CPU 40 executes failure processing similar to theabove-described step S45 in a step S169. Here, since the motion judgmentis as to the fourth step, the evaluation data indicating the failurejudgment as to the motion at the fourth step is stored in the gameresult memory area 534.

Furthermore, if “YES” in the step S165, that is, if it is determinedthat the motion at the fourth step is performed, the CPU 40 notifiesthis with a motion completion sound similar to the above-described stepS47 in a step S171.

In a succeeding step S173, the CPU 40 determines whether or not thedetermination result at the third step is perfect on the basis of theevaluation data at the third step in the game result memory area 534.Here, in this embodiment, in order to obtain the perfect judgment at thefourth step, it is necessary to obtain the perfect judgment at the thirdstep. Since whether or not the judgment timing of the motion at thefourth step is decided on the basis of the judgment timing of the motionat the third step or the panel stopping time PS, it is not determinedwhether or not the timing when the motion at the fourth step isperformed is within the perfect judgment area.

If “YES” in the step S173, that is, if the perfect judgment is performedas to the motion at the fourth step, the CPU 40 executes perfect successprocessing similar to the above-described step S53 in a step S175. Here,since the motion judgment is as to the fourth step, the evaluation dataindicating the perfect judgment as to the motion at the fourth step isstored in the game result memory area 534.

On the other hand, if “NO” in the step S173, the CPU 40 executes OKsuccess processing similar to the above-described step S55 in a stepS177. Here, since the motion judgment is as to the fourth step, theevaluation data indicating the OK judgment as to the motion at thefourth step is stored in the game result memory area 534.

After completion of the step S169, the step S175 or the step S177, thefourth step processing is ended, and the process proceeds to the stepS15 in FIG. 16.

According to this embodiment, since the judgment timing of the motion atthe fourth step of putting the left foot down from the load controller36 to bring about a state that both of the feet are not put on isdecided on the basis of the elapsed time from when the instruction ofthe motion at the fourth step is given, it is possible to suitablydecide the judgment timing of the motion by the player, and thusdetermine whether or not the motion is performed.

Furthermore, the judgment timing of the motion at the fourth step isjudged on the basis of the judgment timing of the motion at the thirdstep of only putting one foot down from the load controller 36 from astate that both of the feet are put thereon, it is possible to make aproper judgment with the simple processing.

In addition, in a case that it is not determined whether or not themotion at the third step is performed, the judgment timing of the motionat the fourth step is decided on the basis of the panel stopping time PSsuitably set for the motion, it is possible to perform an appropriatejudgment on the basis of the suitable time set in advance.

Additionally, in the above-described embodiment, since a motion at thefourth step is a motion of putting both of the feet down from thecontroller, the fact that the load values detected at the judgmenttiming at the fourth step are approximately zero is a condition fordeciding that the fourth step is successful. However, in anotherembodiment, whether or not a load is put on even once during thejudgment of the first to third steps may be decided as a condition for asuccess of the fourth step. FIG. 21 shows one example of an operation ofthe fourth step processing in this case. Additionally, FIG. 21 is amodification obtained by modifying a part of the operation shown in FIG.20, and is the same as FIG. 20 except that processing in a step S201 isadded between the step S165 and the step S171. Furthermore, in FIG. 21,the processing of the steps S173-S177 (see FIG. 20) to be executed afterthe step S171 is omitted.

If “YES” in the step S165 in FIG. 21, that is, if the condition of theload value at the fourth step is satisfied, the CPU 40 determineswhether or not a load is put on even once during the judgment of thefirst to third steps in the step S201. More specifically, it isdetermined whether or not “YES” is determined in the step S37 of thefirst step processing in FIG. 17, whether or not “YES” is determined inthe step S77 of the second step processing in FIG. 18, or whether or not“YES” is determined in the step S117 of the third step processing inFIG. 19. If “YES” in the step S201, it is understood that the playerrides on the load controller 36 at least once during the judgments atthe first to third steps irrespective of whether or not each of themotions at the first to third steps is successful, and the player putsboth of the feet down from the load controller 36 at the judgment timingof the fourth step. Accordingly, in this embodiment, if “YES” in thestep S201, it is regarded that the motion at the fourth step of puttingboth of the feet down is successful, and the process proceeds to thestep S171.

On the other hand, if “NO” in the step S201, it is regarded that theplayer does not ride on the load controller 36 during the judgment ofthe first to third step, and the motion at the fourth step isunsuccessful, and the process proceeds to the step S169.

According to the embodiment in FIG. 21, it is possible to give a scoreif the player makes at least a motion of riding on and down the loadcontroller 36, and it is possible to prevent a score from being giveneven though the player has never ridden on the load controller 36.

Furthermore, in each of the above-described embodiments, the judgmenttiming of a motion at the fourth step is decided on the basis of thejudgment timing (elapsed time T3) of a motion at the third step.However, in another embodiment, an average value of the judgment timings(T1, T2 and T3) of the respective motions from the first to third steps,and the judgment timing of the motion at the fourth step may be decidedon the basis of the average value. Or, the judgment timings (T3) at thethird step detected in the past, that is, the histories of the judgmenttiming T3 at the third step are stored, and the judgment timing of themotion at the fourth step may be decided on the basis of the averagevalue of the judgment timings at the third step in the past. If so, itis possible to accurately decide the judgment timing at the fourth step.In addition, it is possible to solve the problem that the judgmenttiming at the fourth step cannot be accurately judged if it is notdetermined that a motion at the third step directly before is performed.

Furthermore, in each of the above-described embodiments, a motion of thestep-up-and-down exercise is determined, but a motion instructed to theplayer can arbitrarily be changed. For example, as shown in FIG. 22, athigh lifting motion may be incorporated. As shown in FIG. 22(A), amotion of riding on the load controller 36 only with the right foot withthe left thigh lifted without the left foot not being touched with theload controller 36 at the second step may be instructed. In this case,as shown in FIG. 22(B), a motion at the third step is a motion ofputting the left foot lifted at the second step down on the ground.

FIG. 23 shows one example of the panel 400 to be displayed on the screenin a case that the motion of lifting a thigh is incorporated. Asdescribed above, since the motion of the normal step-up-and-downexercise is shown by means of red, the motion in relation to lifting thethigh is shown by means of a different color, such as green, forexample. More specifically, a panel 400 b at the second step is forinstructing to raise the left thigh, and the color of the left footprint is shown by green, for example. In addition, in order to show thatthe foot is completely lifted, the left foot print is shaded.Furthermore, a panel 400 c at the third step is for instructing a motionof putting the lifted left thigh down, and a green down arrow is drawnon the left foot print, for example. Additionally, a panel 400 a at thefirst step is the same as the panel 400 a at the first step of thenormal step-up-and-down exercise shown in FIG. 12, is for instructing amotion of putting the right foot on, and the right foot print is shownby red. Furthermore, a panel 400 d at the fourth step is for instructingto put the right foot down, and a red down arrows is drawn on the rightfoot print.

At a judgment of the motion at the second step, in the step S77 of thesecond step processing shown in FIG. 18, it is determined whether or notthe load value is equal to or more than 100% of the body weight value,and in the step S81, it is determined whether or not a position of thecenter of gravity falls in the range of −0.3 to +1.0. When a motion oflifting a thigh is performed, a pivot foot is depressed, so that a loadabove the body weight value is put on. Accordingly, the fact that a loadvalue larger than that when both feet are merely put on the loadcontroller 36, that is, larger than the body weight value is detected isset as a judgment condition. Furthermore, since the instruction of themotion at the third step brings about the state that the right foot isput on the load controller 36, and the left foot is put on the ground,the judgment condition with respect to the motion at the third step maybe set the same as that of the motion at the first step.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated indetail, it is clearly understood that the same is by way of illustrationand example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spiritand scope of the present invention being limited only by the terms ofthe appended claims.

1. A storage medium storing a load detecting program to be executed by acomputer of a load detecting apparatus having a support board allowing aplayer to put the feet on, wherein said load detecting program causessaid computer to execute: a load value detecting step for detecting aload value put on said support board; a motion instructing step forinstructing said player to perform a first motion; an elapsed timecounting step for counting an elapsed time from when said motioninstructing step gives an instruction of said first motion; a judgmenttiming deciding step for deciding whether or not a first motion judgmenttiming has come on the basis of said elapsed time, and a first motiondetermining step for determining whether or not said first motion isperformed on the basis of the load value detected by said load valuedetecting step when said judgment timing deciding step decides saidjudgment timing has come.
 2. A storage medium storing a load detectingprogram according to claim 1, wherein said load detecting program causessaid computer to further execute a load determining step for determiningwhether or not the load value detected by said load value detecting stepbecomes a predetermined state, said motion instructing step instructssaid player to perform a second motion, said elapsed time counting stepcounts an elapsed time from when said instruction of the second motionis given, and said judgment timing deciding step decides that said firstmotion judgment timing has come when the elapsed time from theinstruction of said first motion reaches the elapsed time from when theinstruction of said second motion is given to when said load determiningstep determines that the load value becomes the predetermined state. 3.A storage medium storing a load detecting program according to claim 2,wherein said judgment timing deciding step decides that said firstmotion judgment timing has come in a case that said load determiningstep does not determine that the load value becomes the predeterminedstate from the instruction of said second motion, when the elapsed timefrom the instruction of said first motion becomes a predetermined time.4. A storage medium storing a load detecting program according to claim2, wherein said first motion is a motion, from a state that one foot ofsaid player is put on said support board and the other foot is put on aground, of putting said one foot down from said support board, and saidsecond motion is a motion of putting only one foot down from saidsupport board from a state that said player rides on said support board.5. A storage medium storing a load detecting program according to claim1, wherein said load detecting program causes said computer to furtherexecute a notifying step for notifying the player that said first motionis performed when said first motion determining step determines thatsaid first motion is performed.
 6. A load detecting apparatus having asupport board allowing a player to put the feet on, comprising: a loadvalue detecting means for detecting a load value put on said supportboard; a motion instructing means for instructing said player to performa first motion; an elapsed time counting means for counting an elapsedtime from when said motion instructing means gives an instruction ofsaid first motion; a judgment timing deciding means for deciding whetheror not a first motion judgment timing has come on the basis of saidelapsed time; and a first motion determining means for determiningwhether or not said first motion is performed on the basis of the loadvalue detected by said load value detecting means when said judgmenttiming deciding means decides said judgment timing has come.